[Softball] Softball falls to Union in home finale

LAURINBURG, N.C. - The St. Andrews University Softball team suffered a DH loss to conference foe Union College (Ky.) in their final home series of the season on Tuesday. The Lady Bulldogs won the first game 6-1, but SAU fell 5-4 in 8 innings in game two.

GAME 1: UNION 6, SAU 1

Union got off to a quick 2-0 lead off Knights starter S.K. Brown (SO/Huntersville, NC). The score would remain that until Union got one more in the 4th and two in the 5th to lead 5-0. SAU would then tally one run in the 5th on an RBI from junior pinch-hitter Rachel Swartwood (JR/Wilmington, NC) before Union added one final run in the 7th off junior reliever Nancy Amos (JR/Huntersville, NC).

Brown (4-13) ended up tossing 5 innings allowing 5 hits and 5 runs (4 earned) on 5 walks and 6 strikeouts to pick up the loss falling to 4-13. Reliever Amos then finished the game throwing 2 innings allowing 2 hits and a run on a walk with a strikeout.

Junior 1B Lexi Dawson (JR/Garland, NC) (team-high average of .350) led the offense recording two hits with a double while sophomore 3B Brennan Broadaway (SO/Oakboro, NC) also added a hit and scored a run.

GAME 2: UNION 5, SAU 4

SAU got on the board first in game two scoring a run in the first before Union came back for two more in the 3rd off game 2 starter, Brennan Broadaway. The Lady Knights then came back putting a three-run inning together in the 4th to take back the lead at 4-2. Union, however, immediately came back and tied the game in the 5th knocking out Broadaway in the process.

She ended up tossing 5 innings allowing 7 hits and 4 runs (1 earned) with 0 walks and a season-high tying 4 strikeouts in the no-decision. Broadaway also leads the Knights in hits on the season with 44, doubles with 11 and runs scored with 23.

The game would then remain tied for the next 2 and half innings as it went to extras. Union then scratched across a run in the 8th off Amos to take the game 5-4. Amos (9-9, 2.88 ERA) threw the final three innings allowing just that one run on 3 hits with a walk and 4 Ks as well. It was her most strikeouts since February as she now has 53 on the season.

Offensively, SAU was led by freshman Avery Korne (FR/Huntington, WV) and junior catcher Symphony Arguedas (JR/Riverside, CA) as they each totaled two hits apiece on the day while Broadaway, Korne, and junior 2B Nikki Santiago (JR/Gainesville, FL) all recorded doubles. Swartwood and shortstop Ashlyn Dial (SO/Laurinburg, NC) also recorded hits and a stolen base apiece as well.

St. Andrews falls to 16-28 with the losses and 4-18 in the conference while Union improves to 20-20 overall and 16-6 in the conference. SAU also finishes 10-12 at home on the year.

SAU will go on the road to finish out their schedule with their final conference road series at Allen University (S.C.) on Friday at 2:00 pm.